Antimicrobial peptides have recently emerged as potentially potent treatments for several medical conditions. In particular, it has been know that endogenous antimicrobial peptides (i.e., endogenously produced by a particular organism, such as human), such as defensins and cathelicidins may be induced by infection, inflammation, and other injury to function in both adaptive and innate immune responses. For example, these endogenous antimicrobial peptides possess bactericidal properties with respect to both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, given the continued prevalence of infectious diseases and other medical conditions, these endogenous antimicrobial peptides are not completely sufficient for meeting treatment and preventative needs associated with challenges facing modern medicine.
The continued proliferation of antibiotic-resistant infectious agents (e.g., bacterial, fungi, protozoa, viruses, etc.) has driven research in new directions, including the development of exogenous antimicrobial peptides. These antimicrobial peptides may be derived from a variety of organisms, including bacteria, insects, viruses, animals, and plants. Current research efforts have focused on using some of these exogenous antimicrobial peptides in the development of treatment regimens or preventative measures to address some of the ongoing needs in the medical field. The present invention provides methods of using certain antimicrobial peptides in treating infections and reducing and/or treating inflammation.